Penguins' Sidney Crosby Looking to Add to Olympic Legacy in Milan

The two-time gold medalist and Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby can further etch his name into the record books during the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Feb 5, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) waits for the face-off during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images | Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Sidney Crosby has nothing left to prove at the Olympics. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain scored the overtime winner against the United States in the 2010 Vancouver final, one of the most iconic goals in Canadian hockey history. He captained Canada to another gold medal in Sochi four years later.

Two tournaments, two golds, and legendary status secured. Yet here he is in Milan at 38 years old, wearing the 'C' once again and chasing more history. Crosby enters these Games with 10 career Olympic points, tied with Dany Heatley and Ryan Getzlaf for fifth on Canada's all-time list in tournaments featuring NHL players.

Jarome Iginla holds the record with 14 points, followed by Joe Sakic with 13, Shea Weber with 12, and Jonathan Toews with 11. Five points would give Crosby the record outright. Based on Thursday's opener against Czechia, he has plenty of help to get there.

Canada Dominates Opener

Canada put any drama to rest early in their Group A opener, building a 4-0 lead through three periods against the Czechs at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring with 5.7 seconds left in the first period, becoming the youngest Canadian NHLer to score at the Olympics.

CANADA'S GOT A POWER-PLAY GOAL! 🚨

Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Sam Reinhart and Cale Makar. Just an insane unit.

📺: Czechia vs. Canada is LIVE at the #MilanoCortina2026 #WinterOlympics on @peacock, @USANetwork, @cbcsports, & @cbcgem! pic.twitter.com/1tITGWHyXe

— NHL (@NHL) February 12, 2026

Mark Stone doubled the lead in the second off a brilliant feed from Mitch Marner, and Bo Horvat made it 3-0 on a breakaway after a stretch pass from Brad Marchand. But the Canadians weren't satisfied with just that, as they decided to score a few more goals for good measure.

A power play by Sidney Crosby, Cale Makar, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon ensured that it was 4-0. The Avs center put the finishing touches on the rout, capitalizing on a Dominik Kubalík interference penalty just 13 seconds into the power play to make it 4-0 at 12:18 of the third period.

McDavid, however, not satisfied with just one assist for the night, decided that he needed another as Nick Suzuki blasted from point-blank range to put the Canadians 5-0 at 6:38 of the third period.

Passing the Torch

What makes this Canadian team special is the generational bridge it represents. Crosby anchors the third line between Marner and Stone, providing leadership and two-way excellence. Connor McDavid, making his Olympic debut, centers the top unit and picked up his first career Olympic point on Celebrini's opener.

Sidney Crosby posted his first point of the #MilanoCortina2026 #WinterOlympics and became the seventh player to record 10 or more career points with Team Canada at Olympic Games involving NHL players.#NHLStats: https://t.co/0Gfbw2R6Lj pic.twitter.com/I7FRpFkAQe

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) February 12, 2026

And then there is Celebrini himself, the 19-year-old phenom who entered the tournament fourth in NHL scoring with 81 points. Crosby was winning his first Olympic gold at 22. Celebrini is already making history at 19.

Canada faces Switzerland on Friday at 3:10 PM ET before closing group play against France on Sunday. If Crosby can stay healthy and productive, Iginla's record is well within reach. More importantly, a third gold medal would cement Crosby's status as the greatest Olympic hockey player Canada has ever produced.

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